The applicability of periphytic ciliate communities in assessing scenic water quality was studied using glass slides as artificial substrata during a 1-year cycle (January-December, 2015) for scenic water in the southeast region of Shanghai. Samples were collected monthly at a depth of 1 m, and environmental variables, namely permanganate index (COD_Mn), levels of chlorophyll a (Chl-a), nitrite nitrogen, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP), transparency (SD), water temperature (T), dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity (Spc), salinity (Sal), and pH, were measured synchronously for comparison with biotic parameters. Totally 51 ciliate species were identified, belonging to 12 orders. The species number followed a regular pattern:spring > winter > summer > autumn; the highest species number was 27 in January, while the lowest was 10 in February. The average annual abundance of periphytic ciliates was 127.29 individuals per square centimeter; the lowest abundance was 24.27 individuals per square centimeter in February, while the highest was 248.57 individuals per square centimeter in May. Multivariate analysis suggested that TP and T were major environmental factors influencing the community structure of periphytic ciliates, and the combination of TP, T, DO, and pH could best explain the changes in the community structure of periphytic ciliates. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that the average monthly abundance of periphytic ciliates had significant positive correlations with T and Spc. Peritrichida had significant positive correlations with SD and Spc, and highly significant positive correlation with T; Tintinnida correlated significantly with T, TN, and SD; whereas, Pleurostomatida had a significant negative correlation with SD. The dominant species correlated significantly with environmental variables, as well. Vorticella campanula, Vorticella sp. 2, Zoothamnium sp. 1, and Epistylis hentscheli had positive correlations with SD and T, and negative correlations with DO, TN, and Sal; Vorticella convallaria correlated significantly with SD, TN, TP, COD_Mn, and Sal; Carchesium polypinum correlated negatively with T and SD, and positively with DO, TN, and Sal. In conclusion, periphytic ciliates are good bioindicators for evaluating the quality of water bodies, and the glass slide method can be used as a supplementary approach to the monitoring of scenic water quality.